I started reading a new book last night and shut it down after chapter 3. It was too…too…too! There was too much conflict. Too much sex. Too much drama. All by Chapter 3. I did not see hardly any of the elements of storytelling present. It is okay to break the rules, but you must understand and know the rules first.

After reading those three chapters, I felt like I had been on a blind date with a handsy man. I truly felt somewhat mentally molested. I had to go and watch a few videos of puppies playing with a ball to wash my brain.

Seriously.

Chapter 1: A menage between her friend and her friend’s husband- she felt conflicted because she didn’t want the husband in on the action.

Chapter 2: She was making out with some dude in a church. A church? I don’t know why either. The author didn’t tell me why this was important.

Chapter 3: I don’t know what the hell was happening there….

#girlbye

Conflict is critical to a story but the story shouldn’t just be about a character acting like a child and creating conflicting scenes. Here are some guidelines for using conflict.